Daily reflection _ you are Peter, the Rock

"I SAY TO YOU,
YOU ARE PETER, THE ROCK"
"The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want" (Ps 23:1). Jesus Christ is the One Who leads us!
Deacon John Ruscheinsky
"You are the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Mt 16:17). The famous text from Matthew's Gospel gives witness to Jesus granting Peter the awesome position of being the rock upon which the Church will be built (cf. Mt. 16:18). The word "rock" comes from the Aramaic name of Peter, which is "Kephas."
This "chair," which the Church celebrates today, refers to the one who is the occupant, not the furniture itself! Of course, the "chair of Peter" is a symbol of the pope's authority. St. Peter and his successors, the popes, ensure the unity of the Catholic Church. Because the pope is the "rock" that we hear about in Matthew's Gospel, it is he who affirms what is believed. He holds the "keys to the Kingdom" in so far as he teaches the world the way of life that leads to eternal fulfillment.
The reading from first Letter of Saint Peter, today, portrays the very nature of a shepherd. He is gentle and pastoral as he teaches one how to be an effective minister and teacher of Jesus Christ and His Church. Jesus gave Peter these words of instruction, "Feed My sheep" (Jn 21:17). As Jesus teaches and Peter learns, it is all about imitating Christ. And the same holds true in our time, it's all about the imitation of Jesus Christ.
In today's Responsorial Psalm we acclaim, "The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want" (Ps 23:1). Jesus Christ is the One Who leads us!